The Poisonous Plant
by I.Love.Me.Some.Fred
Summary: Instead of impailing Rue with the spear the boy from District 1 launched it at Katniss and she dies. a Whatif story. There is character death. One-Shot:


**A/N: Hello! I just read the Hunger Games trilogy and was a little sceptical that the guy from District 1 would immediately go for Rue. I mean why kill the prey you've already caught when you can kill the harder prey when they're suprised? And sadly that idea sprouted into a short story and here we are!**

**DISCLAIMER:I**_** do not own the HUNGER GAMES Trilogy, if I did then Peeta would be dead an MockingJay would have ended differently, perhaps a more happy ending? who know's? I lost the chance to write it... Oh well life goes on:) **_

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><p><strong>FROM HUNGER GAMES, I DO NOT OWN THE WORDS IN ITALIC! <strong>It's_ a child's scream, a young girls scream, there's no one in the arena capable of making that sound except Rue. And now I'm running, knowing this may be a trap, knowing the three Careers may be poised to attack me, but I can't help myself. There's another high-pitched cry, this time it's my name. "Katniss! Katniss!"_

"_Rue!" I shout back, so she knows I'm near. So they know I'm near, and hopefully and hopefully the girl who attacked them with the tracker jackers and gotten an eleven they still can't explain will be enough to pull their attention away from her. "Rue! I'm coming!"_

I readied my bow as I crept closer to where I assumed rue was. _When I break into the clearing, she's on the ground, hopelessly entangled in a net. _I was so focused on Rue that I didn't even notice the spear headed toward me until in lodged itself in my midsection.

I didn't even think about my injury when I automatically raised my bow and shot the boy from District 1 in the neck. He fell to his knees yanking the arrow out of his neck quickening the blood loss before collapsing face-first into the ground.

The cannon shot announcing to the whole arena that a tribute had just died, only then did I turn to Rue.

"_Are there more? Are there more?" _I asked Rue not dropping my bow even though I felt as if I were going to pass out at any second. She whispers 'no' as she slowly untangles herself from the net. I finally yank the spear from my abdomen and fall to the ground landing on my hands and knees and I throw up a large amount of blood.

"Katniss?" Rue questioned in a voice that showed how young she truly was. "Katniss I'm so sorry!" She says tears leaving clean trails on her grimy face.

Rue lumbers over and helps me lower myself onto my back; I put a hand over the gaping hole on my stomach before meeting Rue's eyes. "You have to win Rue, you have to!" I say grabbing her hand to show her hoe serious I am.

"I'll try Katniss! I really will!" She said through the sobs that were now making her small frame shudder uncontrollably. Tears were slowly starting to trickle from the corners of my eyes as the life seeped out of me, I knew there was no saving me and I couldn't help but think of everyone I loved, my Mom, Prim, Gale and everyone at the Hob, I was going to miss them so very much. If only I could see them one more time.

"Hey Rue?" I murmured my voice getting weaker as black spots danced across my vision; I could barely make out Rue's nod. "If you see him, tell Peeta that I'm sorry I didn't give him a chance. And tell Haymitch that I'm sorry I couldn't stay alive please?"

Rue nodded again and I smiled at her one last time before giving into the blackness that clouded my mind. Before I was completely gone I heard a cannon, my cannon. I was finally free, free of the Hunger Games, free from my District, my own person.

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><p>Rue's POV:<p>

I cried and cried over the body of my ally, It was my fault that she was dead, if only I hadn't been so easy to capture maybe I would have prevented this, if only for a little longer.

I stood from my kneeling position and looked for something I could give Katniss, one last token of gratitude. I spotted a group of wild flowers at the base of a tree to my left and hurriedly grabbed them up and folded them into her hand before kissing my three fingers and pointing them at her as a goodbye. I turned from the clearing and jumped up to a branch and scaling a tree, before I was out of sight I took one last look at my friend before I loped away through the trees.

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><p>VICTORY TOUR:<p>

I took in the crowd gathered in District 12, my last stop before going to Capitol for the 'celebration' I first looked at Peeta's family, noting the sad look as they recalled the death of the youngest son in their family, and I felt for them, I really did. Peeta died shortly after Katniss, as if he felt her leave the world and wanted to follow after her. I shifted my vision over to Katniss' family, Her mother who looked extremely haggard, her sister Prim who was originally supposed to be in the Games with me, she looked especially worn like life had been drained out of her, finally I looked at her Cousins, the oldest had a look of utter sadness that marred his handsome features, they must have been close.

As I looked over the families left behind tears came to my eyes, no one deserved to lose someone like this.

"Hello District 12," I said gaining the attention of the crowd. "I am sorry that your Tributes were lost, Katniss became a good friend of mine in the arena and I miss her terribly, but that must be a fraction of what you guys feel as you knew her, her whole life. And to Peeta's Family, I didn't get to really meet Peeta but he seemed like a gentle soul, and I know I cannot apologize enough for the terrible time you guys must be going through but as a favor I am rewarding both of your families half of my winnings for the rest of my life. Thank you." I finished my speech and watched as one by one the crowd kissed three fingers and saluted me, bringing a sad smile to my face as I was herded back to the train.

I would never forget my time in the Hunger Games, it would forever haunt my memories but maybe if I did enough I could one day put a stop to the horrors that the Capitol put us through. This was a promise, and I would, I Rue Rutaceae would see the Capitol fall.

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><p><em><strong>*Author Tidbit:<strong>_** Rue** (_Ruta_) is a genus of strongly scented evergreen subshrubs 20–60 cm tall, in the family Rutaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia and southwest Asia. There are perhaps 8 to 40 species in the genus. A well-known species is the Common Rue.

_**This is where the last name **__**Rutaceae**__** came from:)**_

**_THANKS FOR READING! _**


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